German WWII E-100 panzer weapon carrier with Rheintochter 1 missile launcher - 1:72 Modelcollect

[Paul A H]

German WWII E-100 panzer weapon carrier with Rheintochter 1 missile launcher

1:72 Modelcollect

 

 

The E-100 was a super-heavy tank, designed as the Second World War drew to a close. It was to be the heaviest of the proposed Entwicklung (E) series of armoured fighting vehicles, the aim of which was to simplify tank design and production around standard components. The chassis was intended to serve as a tank, mobile artillery system, anti-aircraft vehicle and heavy tank destroyer, although ultimately just a single prototype chassis was manufactured, and this was captured by American forces a month before the end of the War and then scrapped following evaluation by the British Army. The Rheintochter was slightly further ahead in terms of its development, but even though over eighty test launches took place before the end of the war, it too failed to enter service. 

 

Modelcollect are a Chinese firm who are largely known for their highly detailed and well-regarded 1:72 scale AFV kits. They have long specialised in post-war Soviet/Russian subjects, but have more recently shown a flair for producing kits of the prototype tanks and associated vehicles that were in the design stages at the end of the Second World War, or which could conceivably have appeared had the War lasted longer than it did. This particular kit uses Modelcollect's existing E-100 and Rheintochter kits as the basis for the Rheintochter E-100 platform. Inside the top-opening box are six frames of parts moulded in grey styrene, along with decals, rubber tracks and a fret of brass parts. The mouldings are clean, crisp and finely detailed.

 

 

 

 

 

Construction starts with the socking great air-to-surface missile. This comprises the main body of the missile, split vertically, separately moulded fins and the rocket exhaust, complete with seven separate exhaust nozzles. The launcher includes a splinter shield and controls for the crew. Once the whole thing has been assembled, it's easy to see how it would have taken a tank chassis as large as the E-100 to move it anywhere. Once the missile is finished, assembly turns to the hull. The E-100 design was essentially mid-engined, with the engine positioned forward of the turret but behind the main crew compartment. The engine deck is moulded separately to the roof of the hull, as are the crew access hatches. Photo etch parts are used to depict the grilles on the engine cover. 

 

The running gear is next, and the road wheel arrangement will be instantly familiar to those who have built a Tiger or Panther tanks as it comprises overlapping wheels with steel rims (great if, like me, you find painting sixteen pairs of rubber tyres a tiresome task). The tracks are manufactured from a flexible rubber-like material, which isn't my preference, but they look quite decent for the scale. The decal sheet is generic and includes a range of numbers and licence plates, although the instructions do not show any arrangements for the placement of decals. The painting diagram shows a single example finished in dark yellow. Of course you are free to paint yours in whatever scheme takes your fancy as this is essentially a paper panzer. 

 

 

Conclusion

 

Builders of 1:35 AFVs have had a range of kits in the E-5/10/25/50/75/100 series to choose from for a few years now, so it's good to see builders of the gentleman's scale being afforded an even better choice of subjects thanks to Modelcollect. The kit looks as though it will go together with minimum fuss and it will certainly be a talking point when built and painted. Recommended.

 

 

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